Egungun: The Ancestors

WRITTEN EXERCISE: Who are the ancestors? You might think of everyone from Frederick Douglass to your great grandparents to anyone who is deceased. Recall a time when you felt ashamed, proud, or doubtful of your ancestors. Activity

PERSONAL RITUAL: This OLA16 is ideal when you are aspiring to the contemplative path of transformation through mastery of ancestral wisdom and family tradition. When you seek to activate the collective consciousness and identity of your family lineage, this OLA16 helps you tap into the values, knowledge and experience of those who came before you. Act Now!

WRITTEN EXERCISE: Can you inherit creativity? Maybe you believe innovativeness is an individual expression, or that creativity can only result from artists. But imagine all of the kinds of innovation involved in creating and raising a family lineage over generations. Recall a time when you felt inspired, discouraged, bored or impressed by your family.

PERSONAL RITUAL: When you need to live the medicine of creative activity, this is the ideal OLA16. It combines the spirit of cutting edge innovation and vanguard thinking with practical application and rational thinking. In this way, it is an OLA16 that enhances the creative surge and focuses it onto making a meaningful contribution. Act Now!

WRITTEN EXERCISE: Who do you serve? You might serve yourself, your company or your community in different capacities. Consider the sacrifices made to enable your existence. What will you tell the ancestors when they ask what you did with their sacrifices? When did you ever feel honored, obliged, neglected or repressed by your ancestral or family lineage?

PERSONAL RITUAL: This OLA16 will help you live the medicine of divine law and order. This OLA16 is of supreme importance when you need to learn the laws of the land, the laws of your own personal development or the policies of your workplace for that matter. Whether you've already broken some rules and need to get out of trouble, or if you anticipate the need know the rules well enough to responsibly bend them, this OLA16 will enable you to increase your mastery of laws, policies and procedures. Act Now!

WRITTEN EXERCISE: Who do you consider the expendable people in your life? You might consider your extended family, your siblings or even your parents as irrelevant to your well being. When did you feel indifferent, enamored, dismissive or reverent towards your ancestors?

PERSONAL RITUAL: This OLA16 is fantastic for helping you to live the medicine of social interaction. It is premised on the proverbial wisdom that reminds us that "We laugh at those who laugh at us. When two people laugh at one another, it degenerates into a fight. Let there be nothing in my life to laugh at." When suspicion is high and trust is low, this is the optimal OLA16 to practice. Act Now!